Disclaimer: Again, I make no profit, GL owns all of the known characters
Author's note: I thrive on reviews, even if I don't have the time to respond (well, not if I want to spend my 15 free minutes on writing the actual story). I thank you for your input and apologize for the lack of individual responses.
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"Well your visit went?" Master Yoda questioned, opening the session informally, despite the presence of the full Council.
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan answered, as he dropped to one knee in deference. "The information I collected from the libraries alone will vastly enhance the Temple files."
"Permission you gained for information?" Yoda asked, an almost mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes Master," the Apprentice replied blandly, only the slight sparkle in his eyes betraying his own humor.
"If that is all then, Padawan Kenobi, I suggest you return to your Master and begin gathering all of the work you have missed," Mace Windu interjected. He had disagreed with the Council's decision to send Obi-Wan alone to Kellis IV, despite the fact that the planetary system had not experienced war or conflict in hundreds of years. Somehow, to Mace at least, it seemed that whenever Master Jinn or Padawan Kenobi were involved in a mission, things seemed to go terribly wrong, terribly quick. At least in this case, Obi-Wan had returned unharmed.
"Actually, Master," Obi-Wan began, causing the Councilors who had begun to rise from their seats to settle back down, "There is something else I would like to discuss."
"A problem you have?" Master Yoda asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied the apprentice both visually and through the Force.
"Not a problem I have, exactly," Obi-Wan declared, "but rather one the entire Jedi Order faces."
Raising an eyebrow, Mace Windu motioned for the Padawan to pause as he raised Master Jinn on his comm. link. Once assured that the Jedi Master was on his way, Mace turned his attention back to Obi-Wan. "Have you had a vision Obi-Wan?" the Councilor questioned as he leaned forward in his chair, his face a blank mask, but the concern visible in his dark eyes.
"I suppose you could call it that," Obi-Wan replied with a rueful grin. "Maybe it would help if I just showed you?"
"Showed us what Padawan?" Ki-Adi Mundi questioned, as Qui-Gon Jinn finally arrived and was admitted to the Council chambers.
Nodding at his Master, Obi-Wan addressed Councilor Mundi. "I'm sure that you are all capable of reading my Force signature?" the apprentice questioned. When the Council members nodded, he continued. "I would ask you to focus on it then."
Raising an eyebrow at his apprentice, but not deigning to interrupt, Qui-Gon also turned his senses toward where his Padawan stood in the middle of the room. The colors of the Living Force swirled around him lightly, but the black and white of the Unifying Force nearly dominated the essence that was Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Just as Master Mundi was about to comment, Obi-Wan spoke again. "If you have all focused on me, you have seen the Force signature that is to be expected from a 14 year old apprentice. However, I ask you to focus on me again."
Opening his mouth to object, Master Windu was cut off as Yoda raised one gnarled green hand. "Prove what do you hope to?" the elder Jedi asked.
"Master Yoda," the apprentice responded, dropping again to one knee from where he had risen at the Council's original dismissal, "I would ask you to trust me."
Narrowing his eyes once more, Master Yoda nodded. "Focus on you, we will," he agreed.
Containing his desire to address his apprentice through the training bond, Qui-Gon held back a sigh and refocused on Obi-Wan. He wasn't sure what his apprentice was trying to prove, but he hoped it wasn't something that would anger the Council. The team spent enough time in the Jedi High Council's bad graces without trying.
Centering his focus once more, Qui-Gon opened his "eyes" to the Force, expecting to see the same mixture of power, the untrained essence of a junior apprentice. What he saw instead caused him to gasp and break his concentration. Looking around, the Master realized he wasn't the only one to have been startled back to the present in the Council Chambers. All twelve of the Councilors looked to the center of the chamber in a mixture of awe, disbelief and uncertainty.
At the center of the chamber stood Obi-Wan, though his posture and bearing were clearly no longer that of a Jedi apprentice, but instead that of a Master of the Force. Raising an eyebrow above twinkling blue-green eyes, the youngest Jedi in the room smiled roguishly.
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"All you've been through, all that you've seen…" Qui-Gon sighed as he sat down on the couch in their living quarters, offering one of the drinks he held to his apprentice.
"It has been an experience," Obi-Wan answered, not even trying to keep the odd mixture of mirth and self-recrimination from his voice. "I sometimes wonder why I was chosen for this. It's not as if I hold some secret knowledge or ability."
"You discount yourself, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon answered, reaching over to tug at the braid hanging at his Padawan's shoulder. "Not only did you survive and succeed in training the last hope of the galaxy, but you also managed to relive it twice as well. There are not many Jedi Masters who could claim such a feat."
Smiling at the light tug on his braid, Obi-Wan sighed. "As silly as it seems, it feels so wonderful to have my braid back, and to have you tug on it."
"So you aren't going to complain that I use it as a leash?" Qui-Gon countered, the right side of his mouth quirking up in a repressed smile.
"I suppose I'll just have to take it out on you on the training mats," Obi-Wan replied with a devious grin. "Somehow, I doubt that you are prepared for how far I've advanced in four weeks."
Leaning forward with a grin and tugging on the braid once more, Qui-Gon answered. "I look forward to it."
